Raw milk has become a popular drink in some circles, particularly among fans of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But it can expose people to disease-causing—and even life-threatening—germs, a danger that a family in New Mexico appears to have sadly experienced firsthand.
On Tuesday, the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) reported that a newborn recently died of a Listeria infection likely caught from the mother drinking raw milk during her pregnancy. Officials are warning the public to stay away from these products, especially higher-risk groups.
“Individuals who are pregnant should only consume pasteurized milk products to help prevent illnesses and deaths in newborns,” said Chad Smelser, deputy state epidemiologist for the NMDOH, in a statement from the department.
Risky raw milk
Proponents of raw, unpasteurized milk frequently argue that it has all sorts of benefits over the typical stuff, such as being more nutritious, boosting immunity, and preventing lactose intolerance.
These claims are completely unfounded, and the act of pasteurization, which simply heats and then cools milk, doesn’t substantially change the make-up of milk. Pasteurization does kill the microbes responsible for spoilage or food poisoning, making milk safer to drink and extending its shelf life. By contrast, raw milk or other dairy products are much riskier to consume.
Raw milk can contain various foodborne germs, including Listeria bacteria. The recent introduction of bird flu to dairy cows in the U.S., dating back to early 2024, has also made it a potential vector of these infections (several cases of bird flu in cats have been linked to raw milk). And research has found that the overwhelming majority of foodborne outbreaks involving dairy are from raw dairy products.
The dangers of listeria
Many people exposed to Listeria will not get sick from it, and most people who become ill only experience a few days of diarrhea and vomiting. Sometimes, however, the bacteria can spread beyond the gut into other parts of the body, triggering a serious invasive infection.
Officials say that they can’t be completely certain about where or how the newborn contracted the fatal infection. But it’s well known that invasive cases are more likely to happen in people with weakened immune systems, the elderly, and pregnant women. Women can also inadvertently spread Listeria to their children in the womb, even if they have only a mild illness themselves, which can then lead to severe complications like miscarriage, stillbirth, or a deadly infection in newborns.
Tragic as this case is, the officials hope it will serve as an important reminder about the value of pasteurization.
“New Mexico’s dairy producers work hard to provide safe, wholesome products and pasteurization is a vital part of that process,” said Jeff M. Witte, New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture, in a statement. “Consumers, particularly those at higher risk, are encouraged to choose pasteurized dairy products to reduce the risk of serious foodborne illness.”
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